HMS Diana by Caldercraft

For the lucky one who will build the Diana later: I have found another major error in the instructions!
To simulate the iron reinforcement bands around the mast, you have to glue 2.5mm strips of the supplied cartridge paper around the dowel (mast).
But the drawings state (see photo) that three strips are also glued around the 2x3 mm strip (in the front of the mast). This is wrong! The instruction text clearly states that the strips must be glued under the 2x3mm strip. See also photo of the box.
I added some pictures of how to most easily (in my opinion) glue the cartridge straps around the dowel.
And for attaching the woolding (with black thread) there is a simple trick which is applied to the plan of the Amati HMS Fly...
Hopefully it helps!

Diana819.jpg

Diana820.jpg

Diana821.jpg

Diana825.jpg

Diana826.jpg

Diana827.jpg

Diana829.jpg

Diana830.jpg

Diana831.jpg
 
HMSFly said:
For the lucky one who will build the Diana later: I have found another major error in the instructions!
To simulate the iron reinforcement bands around the mast, you have to glue 2.5mm strips of the supplied cartridge paper around the dowel (mast).
But the drawings state (see photo) that three strips are also glued around the 2x3 mm strip (in the front of the mast). This is wrong! The instruction text clearly states that the strips must be glued under the 2x3mm strip. See also photo of the box.
I added some pictures of how to most easily (in my opinion) glue the cartridge straps around the dowel.
And for attaching the woolding (with black thread) there is a simple trick which is applied to the plan of the Amati HMS Fly...
Hopefully it helps!

View attachment 497302

View attachment 497303

View attachment 497304

View attachment 497305

View attachment 497306

View attachment 497307

View attachment 497308

View attachment 497309

View attachment 497310
Click to expand...
Thanks for the tip I'll be checking your log as I build mine if I ever finish my Constitution.

Tony
 
Last edited:
AllanKP69 said:
Note that there are wooden hoops to contain and protect the rope woolding in the drawings above from both Lees and Steel. You may find the posts on making these helpful as they are very easy to make.

https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/threads/tricks-of-the-trade.15492/page-2#post-412789 Starting with Post #31

Allan
Click to expand...

Allan,

So I should add wooden rings : is this correct?

See your previous log:

The rope was nailed in place, but to protect against wear and to help keep them in place, the wooden rings were nailed above and below to protect the rope winding. The size of the wooldings themselves was 0.2 X the main stay in all cases according to Lees in The Masting and Rigging of English Ships of War. I am guessing they would be similar for other nationalities. There were typically twelve wraps of woolding rope. I cannot find anything regarding the sizes of the wooden rings on top and under the rope of the wooldings but estimate these based on contemporary drawings and drawings in Lees.
If the wooden rings are too thick, chuck the mast in a drill or lathe and sand the rings so the thickness is similar to the diameter of the rope....


1737895969732.png
 
HMSFly said:
So I should add wooden rings : is this correct?
Click to expand...

The example I gave was to show how to make them and are not exactly to scale. Since I posted them I read further and found that the wooden hoops were 1.5 inches wide and thick enough to stand slightly proud of the rope woolding themselves (based on contemporary models and drawings from James Lees.) Whether or not you add them is up to you. If realism is important to you, yes, add them as this was normal until 1800. A lot of modern models ignore these so you would not be alone if you leave them off. As a point of interest ships masted after 1800 had no rope wooldings of any kind, but rather iron bands under the rubbing paunch on the forward side of the mast and cheeks on the sides as well as iron hoops over the paunch and under the cheeks.
Allan
 
I try to prepare the rigging as much as possible during the assembly of the masts and yards: in other words, to apply the blocks in advance (common practice). And I always try to think several steps ahead.
Yet I was fooled:
specifically the assembly of the Main/Fore and Mizzen TOP. If you follow the plan (like I did) you will get e.g. the Main top as shown in the photo (1 & 2).
After I glued the Main top on the Main mast I noticed that the opening for the Cross Jack Sling is missing (ditto Fore and Mizzen). Well, according to the building instructions drilling 2 holes (???????) is sufficient afterwards but in fact it should be a slot in the Main top....
Another lesson learned (a moment of inattention means a lot of extra work and difficulties later).
Marc Sick

Diana867.jpg

Diana868.jpg

Diana869.jpg

Diana870.jpg

Diana871.jpg
 
HMSFly said:
Yet I was fooled:
Click to expand...
Another reason to compare what comes in the box with a good rigging book such as James Lees Masting and Rigging, David Steel's Elements and Practice of Rigging, Seamanship and Naval Tactics and photos of contemporary model from such places as RMG, Preble Hall, Musee de la Marine Paris, et al to cross check everything and help answer questions that arise during a build as you appear to be doing with the HMS Melampus sketches by Petersson

Regardless, your progress is impressive and neatly done!

Allan
 
Last edited:
Hello Allan,

I tried to purchase the book you mentioned buth did not find here in Europe (to avoid expensive import duties when I order it in the US)James Lees Masting and Rigging. But I'm using the following:

Diana885.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top